When they don’t agree with you

Friends are one thing, but what about when you have close family members who refuse to get on board with your prepping lifestyle?  This presents a difficult problem to solve and it is more prominent than you might think.  You are left feeling somewhat alone on your journey, but the urgency of the situation dictates that you must continue even if you do not have the buy in of your loved ones.  Hopefully you do not have to prep in secret as that would be a truly difficult situation to overcome.  Yet whether it is a spouse or close relative the problem remains the same: preparing for tough times ahead without their support, knowing full well they will have to depend on the fruits of your labor when things get ugly.  Here are a few tips which might help you get through these tough times.

• Stay positive.  Remember that even if your spouse or family member chooses not to recognize the importance of prepping, YOU DO.  Better to have one person in the home that preps than nobody at all.
• Do not force your ideas on them.  People don’t like to be told what to think.  If they cannot accept your “rational” way of thought, constantly sending them email links to articles and bringing up the upcoming collapse daily will only push them further away.  I’ve found that each person has to make their own choice, its simply the best way.
• Remind them it’s for everyone.  If they keep harassing you about that “stupid prepping stuff” remind them that while they might not agree with your choices, you indeed are prepping with them in mind as well.  Fight anger with kindness, it can be very disarming.
• Be open about your expenses.  No need to hide your expenses although I’m sure we all try to sometimes.  If you are on a tight budget spending the utility money on a box of 5.56 won’t go over too well, only prep within the constraints of your lifestyle and be honest about what you are buying.
• Try to involve them somehow.  Ask them to join you, if only for 30 minutes, while you are out in the garden or putting together shelves in the garage for storage food.  Be open about it: “I know you really don’t like this prepping stuff but I wanted to go to the range today, would you at least like to come and spend time together?”
• Give and take, it’s not all about you.  If they do open up a little and share some prepping time with you, don’t forget to offer to do something in return.  Watch that movie you might not be interested in, go to that sports event, go to church with them or finally help paint the bedroom.

I hope those tips help a little bit.  I do not claim to be a family counselor but the stuff I listed above is mostly common sense, sometimes we just need to be reminded of it.  I hope that if you are having difficulties over time things will smooth out and you will be able to reach a mutual understanding with your spouse or close relatives.  Happy Prepping.